Best Playoffs Series of all time

[RMimagery]

'93 Patrick Division Finals Isles-Pens. A team that had better players vs players that were a better team. A great mix of everything that series: skill, scoring, big saves, the energy of both the players and fans, and most of all, the hitting (Tocchet, Stevens, Samuelsson, Kasparaitis, Pilon, and Vaske). Behind the benches, Al Arbour vs Scotty Bowman...2 legendary coaches. Fantastic series.

Have to mention that the Isles did it without their 132 point star center Turgeon who was taken out by a gutless Dale Hunter who separated his shoulder seconds after Turgeon scored the series winning goal.

And that the Pens were the two time Champs looking to start a dynasty that didn't happen. Definitely one of the best and most improbable playoff series of all time.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

pens/caps 2009
pens/wings 2009
pens/caps 2017
wings/avs 2002
bruins/canucks 2011

 

[Big Phil]

Have to mention that the Isles did it without their 132 point star center Turgeon who was taken out by a gutless Dale Hunter who separated his shoulder seconds after Turgeon scored the series winning goal.

And that the Pens were the two time Champs looking to start a dynasty that didn't happen. Definitely one of the best and most improbable playoff series of all time.

The 1993 Isles/Pens series is probably exciting from a "David vs. Goliath" standpoint but that series still makes me cringe. We missed so much when the Pens got knocked out. We missed a Roy vs. Lemieux semi final and a Lemieux vs. Gretzky Cup final. That postseason in 1993 was great as it was but there was just something in me that wanted to see Mario just take the team on his back and win a 3rd Cup in a row all while beating cancer.

 

[GMR]

The 1993 Isles/Pens series is probably exciting from a "David vs. Goliath" standpoint but that series still makes me cringe. We missed so much when the Pens got knocked out. We missed a Roy vs. Lemieux semi final and a Lemieux vs. Gretzky Cup final. That postseason in 1993 was great as it was but there was just something in me that wanted to see Mario just take the team on his back and win a 3rd Cup in a row all while beating cancer.

I hope unlike me, you can find it in your heart to forgive David Volek for ruining that entire playoffs.

 

[Big Phil]

I hope unlike me, you can find it in your heart to forgive David Volek for ruining that entire playoffs.

The postseason still had some great storylines and still holds up as an all-time great postseason though. Lots of great series and for the longest time it held the record for most overtime games in a postseason which was broken in 2012 of all years and not really a memorable postseason. If anything I would like to yell at the Penguin who messed up the line change and did not ever go on the ice for the Volek goal which is why the Isles had such a good rush the other way.

 

[The Panther]

I hope unlike me, you can find it in your heart to forgive David Volek for ruining that entire playoffs.

Don't forget Ray "I'm-intense-with-a-microphone" Ferraro, who scored about 47 goals that playoff and set up Volek for that winner.

(We also have Esa Tikkanen to blame for not having a Lemieux-Gretzky Final in 1991.)

 

[GMR]

Don't forget Ray "I'm-intense-with-a-microphone" Ferraro, who scored about 47 goals that playoff and set up Volek for that winner.

(We also have Esa Tikkanen to blame for not having a Lemieux-Gretzky Final in 1991.)

What irks me about Volek is how insignificant his career was otherwise. I don't remember anything else about him. He sure as heck didn't play in the league for long.

 

[Jim MacDonald]

Guys a very minor "side question" to ask (as not to interrupt the OP of course), in that Boston-Montreal Game 7 in 79, did the Bruins have any solid/good chances in overtime by chance? Or did the Lambert goal come fairly quickly after the puck drop? I've seen Lambert's goal a ton of times on highlights but just thought aloud/wondered if the Bruins made Dryden make any solid saves in OT before Lambert scored?

 

[brachyrynchos]

What irks me about Volek is how insignificant his career was otherwise. I don't remember anything else about him. He sure as heck didn't play in the league for long.

Back problems forced him to retire early. He wasn't all that bad, weak defensively but decent offensive game. The Isles depth at wing often had him a little more on the 3rd line with less minutes. Always reminded me of the skinny guy from the old NES Hockey.

 

[Sentinel]

1997 and 2002 WCFs.

 

[VictoriaJetsFan]

I would like to put votes in for two series:

1. Vancouver-Calgary 1994. Canucks come back from three to one deficit by winning all three games in OT. Pavel Bure and Kirk McLean in Gmae 7 were sensational.

2. 2010 Bruins-Flyers. Philly comes back after down 3 to 0...then down 3 - 0 in Game 7...how the hell does that happen.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

The 1993 Isles/Pens series is probably exciting from a "David vs. Goliath" standpoint but that series still makes me cringe. We missed so much when the Pens got knocked out. We missed a Roy vs. Lemieux semi final and a Lemieux vs. Gretzky Cup final. That postseason in 1993 was great as it was but there was just something in me that wanted to see Mario just take the team on his back and win a 3rd Cup in a row all while beating cancer.

agreed we all got screwed that year

 

[frisco]

Sneaking in as an HM or best first round series might be the Kings-Oilers in 1982. After a 10-8 (!) L.A. win in game one, the Oilers snuck one out in OT in two and seemed to get their scare. Then the Miracle on Manchester happened. However, Edmonton takes Game Four and looks a cinch to win on home ice in deciding game five. But L.A. drops them 7-4. Wildly entertaining.

My Best-Carey

I believe this one goes down as the biggest upset of all-time from a point differential standpoint. The wild thing about the Kings was they didn't trap or play some great system in the win. They basically decided to run and gun with the Oilers and somehow beat them at their own game. Just an amazing series. The Kings somehow raised their game and we're really full marks for the win. It wasn't like they were outplayed but fluked into the victory with a hot goalie or something.

Sort of got the same feeling in 1993 with the Islanders-Penguins series that is being talked about. The Islanders, somehow and some way, just played over their heads and out of their minds for a two week period. I swear Ray Ferraro, Healy, some of those guys sold their souls. And of course after they beat Pittsburgh they were down 3-0 to Montreal about twelve seconds into that series and the magic was gone.

My Best-Carey

 

[Sadekuuro]

1997 and 2002 WCFs.

The '97 WCF made me perhaps happier than any series ever, but it really wasn't that great in an objective sense. The Wings dominated play in five of the six games (Patrick Roy did steal Game 1), you had the dueling 6-0 wins where each team destroyed their seemingly unprepared opponent, and I think I even remember Bill Clement lamenting how we had yet to see both teams' "A" game during the same game -- it never did happen that series.

I suppose I wouldn't mind re-living it, though

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

The 1993 Isles/Pens series is probably exciting from a "David vs. Goliath" standpoint but that series still makes me cringe. We missed so much when the Pens got knocked out. We missed a Roy vs. Lemieux semi final and a Lemieux vs. Gretzky Cup final. That postseason in 1993 was great as it was but there was just something in me that wanted to see Mario just take the team on his back and win a 3rd Cup in a row all while beating cancer.

Even Mario as super as he was had his limits.

 

[The Panther]

Another awesome one was Edmonton - Winnipeg in 1990. Game seven was all Oil, but before that very tight and exciting.

 

[decma]

82 Bruins-Nordiques in the Adams finals.

Quebec fresh off their upset over Montreal (another series I would nominate) pulls off another upset (they were 14 pts behind Bos in the regular season).

Five of the seven games were one-goal games (including games 5, 6, and 7), and there were two OT games. The stars played well - all three Stastnys, Goulet, Cloutier, and Paiment each had at least a point a game (P. Stastny had 12 and Goulet 11).

Pederson had 12 pts and Middleton 11 for Bos (a preview of what they would do to the Sabres the following year).

Although Que would go on to be swept by Isles in the Wales finals, this series (along with the earlier win over Montreal) showed they would be a force.

 

[double5son10]

Guys a very minor "side question" to ask (as not to interrupt the OP of course), in that Boston-Montreal Game 7 in 79, did the Bruins have any solid/good chances in overtime by chance? Or did the Lambert goal come fairly quickly after the puck drop? I've seen Lambert's goal a ton of times on highlights but just thought aloud/wondered if the Bruins made Dryden make any solid saves in OT before Lambert scored?

Lambert scored at 9:33. Dryden only made 3 saves in OT but two of them, both on shots by Don Marcotte, were huge.

OT starts at 38:00

 

[double5son10]

The 1993 Isles/Pens series is probably exciting from a "David vs. Goliath" standpoint but that series still makes me cringe. We missed so much when the Pens got knocked out. We missed a Roy vs. Lemieux semi final and a Lemieux vs. Gretzky Cup final. That postseason in 1993 was great as it was but there was just something in me that wanted to see Mario just take the team on his back and win a 3rd Cup in a row all while beating cancer.

I'm not convinced the Pens get past Montreal. No Kevin Stevens, Jagr gimpy, Lemeiux looking gassed and Barrasso playing inconsistently were all ill omens against a rested and rolling Canadiens team.

 

[Jim MacDonald]

Lambert scored at 9:33. Dryden only made 3 saves in OT but two of them, both on shots by Don Marcotte, were huge.

OT starts at 38:00

Double5son10 you are awesome!! Thank you Thank you!

 

[Big Phil]

Guys a very minor "side question" to ask (as not to interrupt the OP of course), in that Boston-Montreal Game 7 in 79, did the Bruins have any solid/good chances in overtime by chance? Or did the Lambert goal come fairly quickly after the puck drop? I've seen Lambert's goal a ton of times on highlights but just thought aloud/wondered if the Bruins made Dryden make any solid saves in OT before Lambert scored?

I'll have to watch the video of overtime again but was it O'Reilly or Marcotte who had that point blank chance right in the slot? Either way, I don't think Dryden even had time to react to it, he just had it hit his shoulder.

The Habs had that one huge chance too just before the Lambert goal. I think it was Lapointe's point shot that got deflected and Gilbert got it in the nick of time.

Either way, the goal started when Rick Middleton tried a deke on Serge Savard which didn't work. Savard immediately starts the transition by throwing the puck to center ice where Tremblay picked it up and the rest is history.

 

[DJ Man]

I remember the Montreal-Boston series of 1968-69 being acclaimed as one of the best.

Neither was it the Stanley Cup Final, nor did it feature a Game Seven! However …

The Canadiens and the Bruins battled through the regular season, with records of 46-19-11 (for 103 points) and 42-18-16 (100 points). Montreal came out on top, but Boston set a record for goals scored with 303. Each team swept its quarterfinal series.

This was the second year of the Expansion Era, and the League had just doubled in size. The winner of this playoff series would face the best of the Western Division, which consisted of all the newly-added teams. As the Eastern champion would be heavy favorites in the Finals, this series was regarded as the “real” championship. The games:

Game 1: At Montreal; Montreal 3, Boston 2, OT.
Game 2: At Montreal; Montreal 4, Boston 3, OT.
Game 3: At Boston; Boston 5, Montreal 0.
Game 4: At Boston; Boston 3, Montreal 2.
Game 5: At Montreal; Montreal 4, Boston 2.
Game 6: At Boston; Montreal 2, Boston 1, 2OT.

Boston managed to outscore Montreal 16-15 on the strength of the one blowout, so close were the other games. The Canadiens required overtime for three of their wins. The Bruins led for most of Game 6. Serge Savard (Smythe Trophy) tied the game in the third period, and Jean Beliveau bagged the winner halfway through a second overtime.

Moving on to the anticlimactic Finals, Montreal finished off St. Louis in four games.

 

[rfournier103]

pens/caps 2009
pens/wings 2009
pens/caps 2017
wings/avs 2002
bruins/canucks 2011

The 2011 Stanley Cup Final wasn’t even the best series the Bruins were in that postseason. One could make an argument that their first round series against the Canadiens was better.

In summary:

Game 1 @ Boston: Habs shut out Bruins 2-0.

Game 2 @ Boston: Canadiens 3 - Bruins 1.

Montreal has Boston on the ropes and look like they’re on their way to yet ANOTHER playoff stomping of the Bruins...

Game 3 @ Montreal: Bruins win 4-2.

Game 4 @ Montreal: Bruins win 5-4 in OT.

Series is tied, and nobody has won on home ice yet.

Game 5 @ Boston: Bruins win 2-1 in DOUBLE OT.

The Bruins have now won three games in a row to take the series lead.

Game 6 @ Montreal: Canadiens win 2-1.

The Canadiens have tied the series and won their first game on home ice.

Game 7 @ Boston: Bruins defeat the Canadiens 4-3 in OT.

The Bruins needed three overtime games to defeat their ancient rivals, and came back from an 0-2 series deficit for the first time in their history. Not to mention that winning two games in Montreal in the playoffs doesn’t come easy to our beloved bears...

When Nathan Horton scored the series winner, I thought of the ‘79 squad and hoped that wherever they were, they got to see that.

I’m too young to remember the ‘79 Semifinals, but I’ve heard enough about it to feel like I was there. I truly felt that 2011 was payback, and a series worthy of similar posterity.

Forever grateful.

 

[Spirit of McMullen]

The 1993 Isles/Pens series is probably exciting from a "David vs. Goliath" standpoint but that series still makes me cringe. We missed so much when the Pens got knocked out. We missed a Roy vs. Lemieux semi final and a Lemieux vs. Gretzky Cup final. That postseason in 1993 was great as it was but there was just something in me that wanted to see Mario just take the team on his back and win a 3rd Cup in a row all while beating cancer.

The Pens had an insane 17-game winning streak going into the last regular season game of the season.

17 game winning streak!!! (I still think it's an NHL record)
Making History: The 17-Game Winning Streak Re-Lived

They were firing on all cylinders at that point, like a well-oiled machine and couldn't have been peaking at a better time. Needless to say, they ended up tying that last regular season game in NJ (I was there).

They ended up toying with and outclassing Herb Brook's Devils in the 1st round. Local newspaper headlines were Pure Hell For Devils for one of the games and I remember coach Tom McVie was quoted as saying "They (Pens) did everything but burn the house down" And the Devils inexplicably managed to a win a game (I was there too) in that series.

17-0-1 to finish that season. It was assumed that the Pens were going for a Three-peat. That Pens/Isles series might not be the "best", but it certainly is one of the most significant, if not the best upset series in NHL history.

 

[Spirit of McMullen]

For those saying the NJD/NYR 1994 ECF was the best: off topic but with all due respect to Claude Lemieux winning the Conn Smyth in 1995, I always thought that it should have gone to Martin Brodeur.

He was a rookie in that 1993-1994 season and losing a 3-2 series lead in dramatic fashion and losing Game 7 in OT could break the confidence & psyche of a young goaltender. He even lost the starter's job to Chris Terreri in Round 2 vs. Boston that year after going down 0-2 in the series. Tererri ended up winning 3 out of the 4 games in that series heading into that historic ECF against the NYR.

That he was able to recover from all of that and put up extremely excellent stats, GAA & save %, which were basically as good as his rookie year, and put up CS-quality stats is an underrated story in itself.